Giving a motivational commencement speech for the 2014 UC Santa Cruz Basking School of Engineering, DJ Patil, one of the world’s foremost authorities on data science and a leading innovation speaker, told the new graduates to chase their big ideas, but most importantly lead a path of intellectual honesty.

DJ explains that we are entering a time where everyone is looking for reasons to say “no”. No to finding solutions to poverty. No to comprehensive global health care. No to keeping our planet pristine for our children.

He goes on to tell the graduates that “saying yes to tackling these challenges will come from you. The diploma that you’re about to receive isn’t just a certification of how good you are. It’s a baton of trust given to you with the expectation that you will take on these challenges…Class of 2014, hear the no’s, expect the no’s, confront them, respect them, but do not accept them. Fight for YES.”